Currently, over 65 per cent of the sewage generated in India is discharged untreated.

While the gap between sewage generation and its treatment has been widening, infrastructure capacity addition for collection and treatment has also not kept pace.

The government programmes – Namami Gange, AMRUT and Smart Cities Mission – have made significant headway to expand sewerage networks in urban areas. The case for public-private partnerships in the sector has also strengthened over time. The scope of private participation has expanded from stand-alone O&M contracts to design, construction and long-term O&M of sewage treatment infrastructure. The hybrid-annuity model is also being explored to revive investor interest in the sector.

Meanwhile, the concept of recycle and reuse of wastewater has gained significant interest in the country.

Industries are also opening up to the idea of deploying advanced technologies to treat effluents, as well as recycle and reuse it for industrial purposes. Going forward, the sewerage sector in India is all set to grow, driven by the government’s ambitious programmes to develop and upgrade sewerage infrastructure in all cities.